They say that laughter is the best medicine. So having a go-to list of giggle to LOL inducing movies is key to getting some stress relief when we need it the most.
The list and sub-genres of comedies are endless. For this reason, picking just a few was not an easy task. So we gathered the team at PDPAOLA, and after much debate, we managed to shortlist five of our favourite wholesome funnies to put us in a good mood. Be sure to bookmark this article for the next time you need a mood booster!
The Belier Family
This film by Eric Lartigau's is a heartwarming story about 16-year-old Paula (played by Louane Emera) and her strong bond with her hearing-impaired family. As the only one who can hear, Paula is the indispensable interpreter for her brother and parents (Karin Viard and Francois Damiens) and relied on to run operations of the family farm.
But their lives take a turn when she discovers an extraordinary talent for music. Her parents, who serve as the butt of most jokes and laugh out loud situations that arise in the film, find it almost offensive that her daughter is considering a signing career and leaving them.
Paula embodies that universal desire to find your own path, breaking free from the family’s hopes and expectations. Her journey and that of her family give way to plenty tear-jerking moments and laughs that will warm anyone’s heart.
You’ve Got Mail
This romcom classic not only shows an incredible on-screen chemistry between Tom Hanks (Joe) and Meg Ryan (Kathleen) worth watching, but captures a fleeting and nostalgic moment of the beginning of the online culture.
Through AOL accounts and a dial-up connection, Kathleen, an independent bookstore owner, unknowingly is being courted by her arch-enemy, Joe who is the heir to a big chain of bookstores that wants to absorb her business.
The film directed by Nora Ephron is about opposites attracting set against a background of capitalism. But at heart, it’s a love story with her signature of wit and melancholy with lots of LOL moments.
About Time
When Tim learns about a well-guarded family secret– the men in their lineage can travel in time— He decides to use his newly acquired skill to find love and goes after Mary (Rachel McAdams). He keeps going back in a constant trial-and-error courtship until he gets everything just right.
This movie from Richard Curtis (who also directed Notting Hill), comes across as brutally sincere and sentimental. Every time Tim travels back to try and do things perfectly many hilarious situations arise that connect with our feeling of wanting to do certain things all over again.
But there is also the important realization that time travelling can’t fix everything. In the end, it’s a good reminder that enjoying our lives and the people in it doesn’t require time travelling of any kind.
Serial (Bad) Weddings (Original French title: Qu'est-ce qu'on a fait au Bon Dieu?)
The French title which translates to "What did we do, good Lord?" is what old-school Catholic bourgeois couple Claude and Marie Venuil (Christian Clavier and Chantal Lauby) ask themselves throughout the movie.
The Venuils make an effort to remain open-minded despite their upbringing until they discover the marriages of their daughters: the first, marries a Muslim; the second, a Jew and the third a Chinese. In the wake of this situation, Claude and Marie pin their hopes on the youngest, who meets a good Catholic man. Unbeknownst to them he’s from the Ivory Coast.
Countless funny situations arise in the Venuil’s attempts to come to terms with their prejudices and racist tendencies. Indeed, director Philippe de Chauveron celebrates stereotypes and reminds us with a good laugh that we shouldn’t take them too seriously.
The Blind Side
Sandra Bullock’s Oscar-winning performance alone makes this film worth watching. She plays fierce home decorator Leigh Anne Tuohy who takes in a homeless black teenager to live with her family, despite the criticism of her community.
The story is directed by John Lee Hancock and based on a book by journalist Michael Lewis chronicling the real life of American football player Michael Oher, dubbed Big Mike (Quinton Aaron). The film is full of giggle-worthy and moving moments as Big Mike struggles to get through school while adapting to his new life with the Tuohy family.
Leigh Anne’s sass and strong character makes for amazing scenes that make her likable and funny while still inspiring respect. Under her wing, Big Mike is able to discover and unleash his incredible football talent.
